2016 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 6,883 MOT tests, the 2016 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter recorded an 84.8% pass rate. Vans of a similar age fail 19.8% of the time, so this is 4.6pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (8.3%) and lighting & signalling (7.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are rbt (sp), headlamp aim and wipers — rbt (sp) alone was recorded 344 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 9.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 16.1% once past 150k.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 20.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 11.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 16.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 8.3% | 573 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 7.5% | 516 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.3% | 230 |
| 4 | Suspension | 2.5% | 171 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 2.1% | 142 |
| 6 | Tyres | 2.0% | 140 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rbt (sp) | 344 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 214 |
| 3 | Wipers | 172 |
| 4 | Rigid brake pipes | 156 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 114 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 113 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 20.1% | 1,381 |
| 2 | Suspension | 13.2% | 905 |
| 3 | Tyres | 10.9% | 748 |
| 4 | Other defects | 9.4% | 644 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 7.2% | 495 |
| 6 | Visibility | 6.7% | 458 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 1,091 | 9.0% |
| 30-60k | 1,132 | 12.0% |
| 60-90k | 1,060 | 16.2% |
| 90-120k | 942 | 19.6% |
| 120-150k | 720 | 19.7% |
| 150k+ | 1,934 | 16.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,170 | 11.7% |
| 2022 | 1,281 | 12.6% |
| 2023 | 1,343 | 16.3% |
| 2024 | 1,600 | 17.4% |
| 2025 | 1,489 | 16.7% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Sprinter
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 8.3% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (8.3% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Lighting & signalling (7.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (3.3% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2016 Mercedes-Benz Sprinters pass their MOT?
84.8% of the 6,883 2016 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter?
Brakes, recorded in 8.3% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (7.5%).
Does the 2016 Sprinter get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.0% in the 0-30k band to 16.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,883 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.